


The Wolf and his Star

by VerityGrahams



Series: Nautical Ship Challenge [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Friends to Lovers, Hogwarts Fifth Year, M/M, Marauders Era (Harry Potter), Teen Romance, wolfstar
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-18
Updated: 2019-12-18
Packaged: 2021-03-08 21:40:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,007
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21849208
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VerityGrahams/pseuds/VerityGrahams
Summary: 'I know he won't say it; he's too proud, but he is sorry! He feels awful,' James said, imploringly.'Not sorry enough to come to me himself.' Remus picked up his trunk and made for the exit.'Because you've made that easy for him,' he replied, haughtily.'It's not supposed to be easy for him!' Remus shouted. 'Do you even comprehend what he did? At best, he betrayed me to someone I could never trust, at worst he set me up to be a murderer!'
Relationships: Sirius Black/Remus Lupin
Series: Nautical Ship Challenge [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1267337
Kudos: 45





	The Wolf and his Star

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: I do not own Harry Potter
> 
> Written for the Nautical Ship Challenge
> 
> Plausible Canon: Remus Lupin and Sirius Black - H.M.S. Wolfstar
> 
> Prompts:
> 
> [Setting] Wood Cabin
> 
> [Word] Apology
> 
> [Genre] Romance/Hurt/Comfort
> 
> Wordcount:
> 
> This story is a christmas gift fic for a dear friend, secretfanficlover. This is not one of my pairings, but it is one of hers and I just hope that I have done this ship justice for her.

The Wolf and his Star

The fifth-year boy's dorms were silent, each boy collected their belongings and placed them into their trunks. Remus put things in his trunk carefully, but the other boys seemed to just throw everything in. Usually, the dorm was full of laughter and jokes, but this year there was trouble in paradise.

The stalemate had been going on for the last few months. Remus refused to speak to Sirius, who refused to apologise. James tried to mediate, but that only made Remus angrier and refuse to talk to James. Peter was clueless as to why they were arguing, but manage to be liked by them all.

'You have to help me fix this,' Sirius whispered to James at one end of the dorm. 'Contrary to popular belief, this wasn't just my idea!'

'You promised you wouldn't tell!'

'Yeah, not like saving Snivillus got you anywhere with Evans, is it! I mean it, Prongs, do something!' Sirius slammed the trunk shut and flicked his wand, locking it, and he eyed James knowingly.

Remus was on the other side of the room, folding up his slightly more dishevelled robes and placing them neatly into his beaten-up trunk. Sirius walked past, he shouted 'goodbye', but Remus continued to ignore him.

It had all started with a prank. Sirius would say that it was a "harmless" prank, but Remus felt differently. What Sirius had failed to realise, was that the experience was like for Remus had been somewhat traumatic.

He remembered how his bones had started to shift and break; he had been in agony. Madam Pomfrey had led him down the path under the Whomping Willow, and throughout all of that he enduring the pain, all while looking forward to his friends joining him in their Animagus forms, something that they had only just managed to achieve. He was always in agony during the full moon and Sirius and the others would never understand; it wasn't something that he shared, but he had thought that they had some knowledge of his unpleasantness.

He remembered how he had heard movement underneath the shack, and how it had momentarily made him forget the agony in his slowly changing body. He was sure it would be his friends, finally coming to join him.

When he approached the entrance to his hiding spot, he heard someone muttering about how he would find out what Sirius was up to. The truth hadn't dawned on Remus' sluggish mind, which was half human and half wolf, slowly adjusting as he transformed. He trotted down the passage, half changed. That was when he saw the look of horror, fear and most sickeningly, realisation on Severus Snape's face.

This was a person that Remus didn't trust at all, and even though he understood all too well that the wizarding population would think of him as a monster, this was the first time someone had looked at him like he was. As far as Remus was concerned, there was no forgiveness to be had.

'Moony.'

Remus looked up. They were alone in their dorm, Remus and James, that is. He was packed, and his pristine trunk was stood up at the end of his bed, ready to go. James leant against his four-poster bed, looking at Remus with that kind smile and warm eyes. The smile that had calmly asked him to just forgive Sirius, the eyes that had taken Sirius' side and didn't see anything wrong with what had been done.

'Don't say it, James. Just don't!'

'You can't stay mad at him forever, he's your best friend.'

'No, he's your best friend. He isn't even my friend; he's proven that much.' Remus pushed the lid of his trunk down. It took a few pushes, not because it was full but because the hinges stuck and the lock was stiff.

'I know he won't say it; he's too proud, but he is sorry! He feels awful,' James said, imploringly.

'Not sorry enough to come to me himself.' Remus picked up his trunk and made for the exit.

'Because you've made that easy for him,' he replied, haughtily.

'It's not supposed to be easy for him!' Remus shouted. 'Do you even comprehend what he did? At best, he betrayed me to someone I could never trust, at worst he set me up to be a murderer!'

Remus looked at James, taking in the shocked expression, the understanding that finally seemed to sink in. He watched as James finally put the pieces together and realised precisely what had Remus so shook up, so miserable and more than anything, why Remus' boggart was a full moon.

'Imagine waking up to find you killed someone, or worse; infected them!' Remus continued as he pulled his trunk and forced his way past his friend.

His face was flushed with anger, embarrassment and a tear rolled down his cheek. He wiped it away, furiously and continued walking towards the door.

'I get it,' James began. 'I don't think I did before, you know "It's just Sniveillus", but I can't even begin to imagine what that would feel like. Just remember, it's not callousness on Sirius' part, but the fact that he's a stupid idiot, just like me. We think only about how hilarious something is, not often about the consequences.'

'Yeah, well, maybe you should!'

Before James could reply, Remus was already out of the door, and his trunk could be heard thumbing down each step to the common room. James stood alone and realised that his friendship group could be over, that what he and Sirius had done was awful. They had betrayed their friend in the worst way imaginable, and he had to find a way to fix it.

On the train home Remus had remained with the Prefects. He hadn't even looked in on them, which was strange. Their compartment was sombre too. James sat in silence wracking his brain wondering what he could possibly do to earn the forgiveness of one of his best friends, and how he could get Sirius to understand too. He sat there, watching the passing scenery in silence, wondering.

* * *

James had been in Godric's Hollow for about a week when he finally decided to approach his mother. After all, he knew that she would know how to fix it; she knew how to fix anything. She was out in the garden, tending to the magical herb patch. His mother was older than his friend's parents, she had, brilliant white hair and it was held in a messy bun on her head. Her robes, which were dark green, were patched, worn and covered in compost.

'Mum,' he called.

She turned around, smiling at her son. 'James, my sweetheart, do you want to help? I thought you would have called Sirius round by now. Poor boy,' she said as yanked a rather stubborn weed.

'It's about Sirius, well sort of. I need some advice.' James threw himself on the floor, looking up at his mum, hoping beyond hope that she would have the answer.

'What's the problem? If you care enough, you can fix anything,' she said with a smile, removing her gloves and carding her hand through her son's messy locks.

'I can't tell you specifics, but Sirius – in the most insensitive way possible – shared Remus' closest secret, and what's worse is that he shared it with this nasty, prejudiced, Slytherin git! He had intended it to be a prank, and it was supposed to be 'no harm, no foul', but Remus didn't take it that way, and I have to fix it.'

His mum looked at him, her hazel eyes boring into his. It was just like her to withhold the answer until her motherly skills managed to wheedle out some truth he tried to hide.

'And why is it your responsibility? Surely Sirius is responsible for his own actions.'

His mother left it there looking at James with a knowing look and James shifted uneasily. A moment later, she raised an eyebrow accusingly. James huffed and sat up, looking at his mother, guiltily.

'Fine! Don't look at me like that. It was my idea, and it wasn't supposed to go the way it went. I was supposed to protect the sneaky little Slytherin, so Lily Evans wouldn't think I was "conceited, self-involved toerag."'

'Ah,' she said with a knowing smile. 'How did I know this would all come down to a girl, and what kind of girl would call my precious boy conceited, self-involved or a toerag?'

'Well, maybe she was friends with the greasy, sneaky Slytherin,' he spat. 'A Slytherin that called people the'M' word, by the way! Maybe I sought justice for those that weren't able to take it for themselves… and maybe it was in a way that might be considered conceited, self-involved and toeragish.'

His mother looked at him, raising an eyebrow.

'I hung him upside down and pulled his trousers down in front of the entire school. Evans defended him, and he called her… THAT word!'

'James!' she scolded. 'That poor boy! And he seemed to say that word after you accosted him. That is not how a good Gryffindor boy behaves.'

'I know,' he mumbled. 'But he really is nasty and prejudiced, even Evans isn't his friend anymore.'

'And you thought you could trick this young lady into thinking you were a nice young man by doing something sneaky rather than showing her the wonderful gentleman that you are?' His mother looked down at James as he squirmed under her stern gaze.

'I just set up a situation where I could show her.'

'Nu-uh, James Haridian Potter! You need to behave yourself and show her that you are a courageous, courteous and chivalrous gentleman! As for Remus, his feelings are desperately hurt, and Sirius needs to be honest with him. Remus needs to know how much Sirius cares about him.'

'Remus won't talk to Sirius at all.'

'You like being so sneaky, force Remus and Sirius into a position where they have to talk things through! Sounds like that's right up your street, young man!'

'Thanks, Mum.'

'You're a good boy really, this "Lily Evans" is an idiot if she doesn't realise it at some point!' she said with a smile.

James, however, was already running off to his room. Clearly, he had a plot to hatch, but this time he didn't have his two main co-conspirators to help him. They were going to be the focus of his plot! Peter Pettigrew would have to do.

* * *

Remus had been miserable ever since he had arrived back home. Usually, he would come home filled with excitement and plans to research how to improve their map or places that they wanted to go the following year, but now, Remus felt decidedly alone. The coming school year held little to no excitement for him, because he knew that James Potter would always stick with Sirius Black, meaning that Remus would lose all of his friends now. After all, who would choose a werewolf over Sirius Black?

He woke up one morning to a loud pecking on the window. He opened one bleary eye, and there was James Potter's owl; Horatio. The window was opened, an envelope was dropped on the window sill, and the Horatio slipped away, flying up out of sight and into the clouds.

Remus glanced at the envelope and wondered about how he felt about James now. He had clearly had Sirius' back, but then he had written him a letter? He closed his eyes, trying to see things from James' point of view; it didn't take long to see how James was caught in the middle. Though, what came back every time was that Sirius had betrayed him? What did that even mean to James?

Eventually, he picked up the letter and ripped it open. It was a longer letter than he would usually receive from James; he wasn't a great letter writer. Opening the folded parchment, he began to read:

Remus,

_It's me, Sirius…_

Remus closed the letter, furious at the prospect of it. "How dare he!" he mused as he flung the letter onto his bedside table.

The letter sat there, mocking him, and he couldn't stop looking at it. He eventually gave into temptation and continued reading.

… _please don't throw the letter away! I hoped that by using Horatio it would mean you would at least open the message, and maybe, even after you realised it was me, you might just read it!_

Remus snorted, "at least he sounds desperate," he thought. The words seemed to hit him exactly where they needed to, and he softened ever so slightly.

_What I am trying to say is, I am Sorry! Sniviellus might have deserved it, but you didn't, and I didn't think about you. I should have spoken to you myself, but I got James to do it because I didn't think you would listen to me, and honestly, I was too ashamed._

_Not that this is an excuse, but things have gotten so much worse at home. I didn't want to bother you guys with it, but I think I got a bit out of control because of it. I just wanted to show them that they can't control me, and if beating on Reg's slimy Slytherin buddy would do it, then so be it. I was blinded by rage, anger, and if I am really honest, I wanted to find a way to hurt them how they hurt me. It hurts when your family doesn't want you._

_Anyway, they burnt me off the tapestry when I came back home. I'm sure you can imagine that I didn't stick around long. Thankfully Mr and Mrs Potter have taken me in._

_I am staying in their log cabin this weekend, I really want to talk things through, to apologise properly. If you are willing to talk, to listen, please come and stay too._

_Your best mate - even when you hate me -_

_Padfoot_

Remus sighed, there was no way that he couldn't go. He knew that Sirius had a particular distaste for Slytherins due to his family, and they all knew it was only a matter of time before they kicked him out or Sirius left. It was Friday, and Remus didn't have long to think about it before he decided to go. The letter had done precisely what it was intended to do, tug on Remus' heartstrings and make him a little more able to forgive.

* * *

Sirius was wide awake when a different owl was tapping on his window. He opened it, and a tiny owl fluttered into the room. It landed on Sirius' owl's perch, dropped it's load and began to guzzle from the water tray. It was managed to be both the smallest and fattest owl in the world, meaning it looked like a brown, feathery ball with two large green eyes and white speckles. The letter that it dropped was twice the size of the owl, and still not that big.

Sirius stopped what he had been doing - which was using Mr Sticky's Permanent Glue to plaster his green walls with more Gryffindor posters, pictures of muggle motorbikes, and of course, Quidditch posters! He had one wall that he had dedicated to images of him and his friends, but last night, in a fit of fury he had managed to remove them all. It had taken copious amounts of Mr Sticky's Removal Paste to do it. Sirius could already see their friendship group falling apart, and then once at home, he found that things with his family were worse than ever. He tried to talk to James about it, but he seemed less than eager to help.

He picked up the letter. He had very little interest in it, he had been waiting to hear from James all week. He desperately needed to visit, to get away from this horrid house.

_'Hi, Padfoot!_

_It's James, not Peter. Horatio was sent on an urgent mission. Sorry about the 'rents, but I have a plan! It's a brilliant plan, but I need more time to work on it. Pack a trunk, and when I say pack, I mean EVERYTHING. You can stay at the families wooden cabin this weekend, I will be working on my parents, I think it's time you left them for good?_

_Prongs'_

Sirius was elated. He had planned to go back to bed after being up all night, but it was Saturday tomorrow, and he had to be ready. He hauled his trunk from its spot under the bed and flung it open. He placed all the pictures and all his letters at the bottom of his trunk. Every item of clothing was packed in the now magically extended trunk. He ransacked his cupboards for any things that he wanted to keep. His brooms, both of them, were packed, his quidditch gear, his chess set. By noon, everything was packed.

Exhausted, he collapsed on his bed, falling asleep in Number Twelve Grimmauld Place for the last time in his life. He never felt so free.

* * *

That Saturday morning, James and Peter were also at the wood cabin. They had checked the house, everywhere was locked up, except for the front door. They hid in the bushes, waiting and watching for their friends.

'Are you sure this is gonna work?' Wormtail whispered.

'Yeah, I mean they are best friends, why wouldn't it work out?'

'Moony was pretty pissed,' he snorted. 'I mean, Padfoot may not survive!'

'Moony likes Padfoot a lot more than you realise!' Prongs replied with a suggestive smile.

'What do you mean? Seriously, Sirius is your best friend and vice versa, and so Remus is Sirius' best friend, what am I? Chopped liver?'

'I don't mean like that, and you wormy, have a very special place in all of our hearts. Don't you go worrying about that!' James looked up, and finally, there was movement.

They sat undercover, unable to use the invisibility cloak over both them anymore. Sirius arrived first and dragged what looked like a hefty trunk into the cabin. It wasn't much longer before Remus showed up too.

'Right, give me the cloak, Wormy!' James grinned. 'It's time to lock them in!'

* * *

Inside the cabin, things were taking a turn for the worst. Sirius was setting himself up for the weekend, whistling away he was so happy. He hadn't even heard Remus walking through the door, and neither of them heard the click of the lock being magically sealed.

'Sirius?' Remus walked into the room to find a far more cheery Sirius than he had expected.

'Moony?' Sirius looked at him, confusion written all over their faces.

'You asked me to come. You said you wanted to apologies, properly. At least that's what your letter led me to believe.'

'Letter? What letter?' Sirius asked looking even more confused.

'You know, the desperate apology letter, please come meet me at the cabin? You wanted to make things right, the one where you bared your heart on parchment in an effort to earn my forgiveness? That letter?'

Sirius shrugged.

'You can't have forgotten it, surely you don't have to hand out epic apology letters that often? Then, this is the first time you betrayed a friend.'

'Moony, I have no idea what you're talking about!'

Remus' lips pursed and his brows furrowed. The calmer, happier expression was gone, and a stony face was in its place.

'If you didn't write the letter, why are you here? Exactly where you said you would be?'

'Prongs, he invited me here. You never guess what?' Sirius continued with a huge grin. 'He's gonna get his parents to let me move in! I don't have to stay in that awful house anymore!'

'Right.' Remus picked up his trunk and turned around.

'Wait, where are you going?'

'If there is no apology, I'm going home! You don't even seem to care what you've done, you don't care at all! You have shown me exactly how much you care about me, I thought there was something, but clearly, I was wrong!'

'Moony, I don't want you to go. What do I have to do?' Sirius pulled Remus back by the hand.

'I don't know? You could have written an honest and apologetic letter to start with! Maybe show some sign that you actually want to make things right. You don't, though. You expect to leave things as it is, and at some point I will just come crawling back as if nothing happened. After all, I am just a werewolf, it's not like I can do any better!'

'Oh great, so it doesn't matter what I might do, what I actually feel or actually think, but because I didn't do this specific thing you're mad at me again! And when the hell did this become about the wolf thing?'

'YOU MADE IT ABOUT THE WEREWOLF THING! I'm just the reason you get to do cool things, like become an animagus, I'm not a friend, I'm the reason. This year I got to be a prop too, like a stink bomb from Zonko's, just something you can use to pull a good "prank". Do you even get what you did? I could have been a murderer! Do you understand that?'

'But you wouldn't have been, and besides—'

'— Let me guess, it's only Snape? It's that kind of thinking that starts people off to becoming just like You-Know-Who!' Remus shouted at Sirius, knowing exactly how to hurt him.

'So that's what you think?' Sirius squared up to Remus, his snarling face more dog-like than even in his Animagus form. 'Get out, I don't want you here anymore! We are through, Moony!'

'Fine by me!' Remus began pulling the trunk back to the entrance hall and pulled on the door, but it wouldn't budge.

Sirius followed him through to the living room, shouting for him to leave. 'What are you waiting for, get gone! Don't let the door hit you on the way out!'

'Then open the door, dumb ass!' Remus shouted back. 'I mean seriously, are you just trying to piss me off or are you incapable of not pulling a practical joke twenty times a day?'

Sirius marched over to the door and pulled. 'I didn't lock it!' he shouted again. 'But the spell is straightforward!' Sirius pulled out his wand, and with a smart flourish he whispered the spell, 'Alohomora.'

Nothing happened.

'Yeah, I didn't think of trying that one!' Remus rolled his eyes. 'I think it's pretty clear what happened.'

'What? How do we undo it?'

'We don't you complete braincase! James wrote the letter to me and invited you here to force us to make up. They are on the other side of the door most likely! AND IT'S NOT FUNNY YOU ASS HATS!'

'What do you mean, '_they_'?'

'James and Peter, you dolt!'

'PRONGS! YOU PULLED A PRANK WITH WORMTAIL ON YOUR OWN! WITHOUT ME! YOU ARE DEAD PRONGS!'

`Oh yeah, he must have forgotten that the world revolves around you!' Remus flung himself on the sofa, glaring at Sirius. 'They aren't going to let us out, you idiot.'

Sirius spun on his heel, glaring at Remus. 'Did you just call me an idiot?'

'A smart person would ask, "Why won't they let us out, Remus?" A more intelligent person – me – would know!' he smirked at Sirius, knowing that he was the one with all the power.

'Oh Wise One,' Sirius replied mockingly, 'what do we have to do to get out of this mess?'

'Firstly, change the attitude; that means no more snark, no more sarcasm, you need to start being genuine, or I won't let you out.' Remus looked at him, smirking.

'If you know a way out of here, I know a way out of here. I ain't putting up with this shit anymore.' Sirius wandered around the cabin to the windows, trying to pry them open. 'I know this place way better than you. Calling yourself the "smart" one!'

'They locked up every entrance you ignoramus! We aren't going to get out till I make nice and forgive you.' Remus kicked open his trunk and pulled out his transfiguration textbook, flipping it open at a seemingly random chapter.

Sirius ignored him, walking around the cabin's neatly decorated living room. The sofa that Remus sat on was cream with patchwork throw cushions and a knitted blanket lying over the top. The dark wooden floors were covered in many lush, thick rugs, there were photos of the potter family on most walls and cabinets, and to one side was a massive stone hearth. Sirius wandered into the kitchen, opening cupboards, he found that James had thought of everything and assured that they wouldn't starve to death before Remus chose to forgive him.

Sirius covered every inch of the house before he was willing to admit that James had caught everything. He knew that he wanted Remus to forgive him, more than he cared to admit, to anyone. He watched his friend sat reading, the anger had disappeared from his face now as he was absorbed in a book. His face was handsome, even scarred you could see the bone structure and his full lips. He had heavy brows, but his bright eyes shone out from beneath them, and what Sirius loved most about his eyes was that they told him exactly how Remus felt at any given moment. Lately, they had shown only anger.

Remus' long legs were stretched out before him, lean and muscular, as they rested on the top of his trunk. He would never be as toned as James, Remus just wasn't into playing Quidditch, though he was a violent supporter of The Holyhead Harpies. Sirius had never minded about that, he liked Remus just the way he was. Being separated from him as of late had been hard, and as sorry as he was, he couldn't bring himself to apologise. Remus should know, after all these years, how much he cared for him.

'So,' he said, leaving the word hanging in the air.

Remus didn't look up from his book; instead, he calmly flipped the page. Sirius barely noticed the corner of his lip twitching in irritation.

'You were right,' Sirius said, leaning towards Remus.

'I'm always right,' Remus replied, flipping the page again, maybe a little too soon.

'I'm sorry, okay!' Sirius walked over and plonked himself on the sofa next to Remus. 'We good?'

Remus looked up at him, his brows furrowed. 'We good?' he questioned. Then, Remus turned back to his book.

'I said I was sorry. See, I knew there was no point because you won't even listen. You're so bloody self-righteous!'

They sat together in silence, neither one of them willing to speak. Sirius fidgeted and shuffled around on the sofa, Remus, however, stayed relaxed and continued to pretend to read his book. This went on for a good five minutes, and every minute or so, Sirius would look at Remus, glaring or rolling his eyes, but his friend remained focused on his book.

'Okay, fine! You win! What do I need to do?' Sirius asked finally.

Remus looked up, and while he seemed calm, his expression was anything but. His eyes narrowed at Sirius.

'What?' Sirius said, exclaiming. 'Why is it that every time I open my mouth, you just seem to get angrier, even though I have graciously apologised?'

'What are you apologising for?' Remus finally responded. 'Be specific.'

'Im sorry that I didn't listen to you about being locked in the cabin.' Sirius turned to look at Remus, his face the picture of sincerity.

"I actually don't care all that much about being right, but since you know I am, maybe there is something else you want to say?'

'Oh, that.'

'Yup. That.' Remus picked his book back up and flipped it open, to a completely different page.

Sirius got off the couch, pacing the width of the room. Remus watched as the taller, dark-haired boy wandered anxiously around the room. He had been so hurt; it had hurt all the more for the fact that it had been Sirius. He had meant it, he had felt like a prop in a prank, not a human being, a boy or man that Sirius might look at as more than just a friend.

Then there was the fact that he had thought they were closer than that. He had thought that Sirius knew him better. The worst thing that Remus could imagine was passing on his curse, and yet he had put him in the position to do just that, or he might have woken up a murderer. Meaning, Sirius thought that Remus wouldn't care about that, or that Sirius didn't care how Remus would feel after.

'If you're still angry, why'd you come?'

'I thought you were actually sorry. To be honest, Sirius, I wish I hadn't. This is a complete waste of my time!'

'I am sorry! I can't believe that you doubt me!' Sirius replied, shouting at Remus.

'Oh yeah, see I got that when you didn't apologise and just got James to tell me to forget all about it, "'cause it's only Snivellus!"' Remus threw his book down on the sofa beside him, all pretence had gone.

'Just because I didn't say it, I figured you knew me better! I thought you knew that I would be sorry.' Sirius turned his back to Remus, shifting on his feet uncomfortably.

'This is the problem, Sirius, you only think of things from your point of view. How about, for a change, you think about how that night was for me? Or maybe think about it from Snape's perspective? Because he didn't deserve it either, there's a line, and you crossed it!'

'But—'

'No!' Remus said, interrupting. 'I mean it, think about that night from someone else's point of view!'

All too soon, they were sat in silence again. Sirius sat in one armchair, his head in his hands. Remus was the one fidgeting now, flicking the pages of his textbook irritably. His brown eyes would wander over to Sirius, hoping that something would be different, that he would say something, anything, to make things better. He wanted things the way they were before, but Remus couldn't ignore what had happened either.

'I think I get it. It's my fault Snape knows, and he could have told everyone. I don't have a problem with… well you know, but others do. I didn't think about that, not because I don't care, 'cause I do, I care… a lot. I'm just a bit… impulsive.' Sirius looked up at Remus, and his grey eyes were filled with genuine understanding.

'It's more than that,' Remus said. 'What if I scratched him, bit him? What if I had killed him? Can you imagine what that would be like for me?'

'That wouldn't be your fault, that would be mine... but you're the kind of person that would still blame yourself. I think, after really trying to see your side, I put you in an awful position, and realising that that actually was a possibility… Snape didn't deserve it either,' Sirius said the last part begrudgingly, but he did believe it.

'That last bit was painful, right?' Remus said with a smile.

'Very! I wouldn't admit that for anyone else."

"Not even, James?' Remus replied with a smirk.

'Not even James,' he repeated. 'James will never be like you, Remus.'

Remus looked at Sirius and for the first time saw him looking at him in a completely different way.

Without breaking his eye contact, Remus smiled. 'I forgive you, Sirius Black.'

Sirius leaned in, his breath hitching as he moved closer and closer to his friend. 'Do you want to get out of the cabin?' he paused, swallowing deeply. 'Or, we could stay right here, just for a little bit.'

Remus placed a hand on the sofa between them, his fingers caressing Sirius' hand slightly, as he leaned in just a little more, their noses almost touching. 'What would we do, locked in a cabin, alone?' His breaths were uneven, his cheeks flushed as he watched Sirius's tongue peek out to wet his own lips.

'I'm sure we can think of something. There are a great many things I would do with you that I would never want to do with James or Peter.'

'Yeah…'

* * *

Outside Peter and James were st listening and waiting. The shouting had died down some time ago. They had heard a lot of it intermittently, but now things were getting very quiet indeed.

'Prongs, I'm bored!' Peter said, complaining.

'Well, why don't we play chess. Exploding Snap isn't exactly thrilling!' James rolled his eyes.

'Why can't we just go and get them?'

'Nope! We need to be sure they made up. Do you want next year at Hogwarts to be like the last few months?' James asked. 'The pair of them moping around, miserable! No, we won't let them out until they are friends again.'

'It's quiet, they're probably making up now.' Peter began packing up the cards, he looked up at James imploringly. 'We could go to the house and do something?'

'If we leave the spell will be broken,' he replied, 'but…' he smiled wickedly, getting up and walking back through the woods and toward Godric's Hollow.

'But what?' Peter called, chasing after the taller boy.

The woods were not very large, and they were soon coming to the small village where James lived. The town centre was bustling, and the streets were busy, it slowed them down only a little, and soon they were running through the front door.

'James!' Peter called. 'What are you doing? Why do you never tell me anything?'

'We can spy on them and find out if they have made up yet!' James grinned as he removed a pot of Floo powder from the shelf. 'All we have to do is stick our heads through the Floo!' I really am a genius, I can't believe Remus didn't figure it out.' James grinned as he threw powder into the fire and called the address of their log cabin.

James knelt down, sticking his head into the Floo. It was a strange sensation having just your head go through the Floo; his neck ached terribly, and his head was spinning, literally and figuratively. His head popped up in the fireplace of the living room in his families wood cabin. James shook the soot out of his hair, and once he gained some sense of equilibrium, he opened his eyes.

'SIRIUS? REMUS?' he shouted, confused by what he saw.

His friends, who were on the sofa, turned around as soon as they heard his voice, blushing like a couple of school girls. They were both in various states of undress, hands were roaming, and not a moment before they were engaged in some rather heated displays of affection.

'James!' Sirius replied, the sentence not really going anywhere.

Remus pulled the great throw from the sofa and preceded to hide under it completely.

'Oh! Oh!' James said, squeezing his eyes shut. 'Yeah, so… I'm thrilled you guys are, erm… friends again. I guess I'll leave you to it.'

'James, you don't have to go,' Sirius began.

Remus poked his head from under the blanket, looking thoroughly unimpressed.

'No, Sirius. This is definitely part of yours and Remus'… friendship, I shouldn't be involved in. The doors are unlocked, so erm… dinner is ready at six. There's food in the cupboard if you would rather… I dunno, be alone.'

Then he pulled his head back through the Floo. He hardly noticed the strange sensation on the way back. He looked at Peter with an expression that was a combination of shock and awe.

'We should get the chess set out, they're gonna be a while.'

'What is it? Are they still fighting?'

'No, Sirius and Remus are getting along very, very well.'

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Thanks for reading, this is my first foray into this pairing, so please let me know how I did! :DA/N: Thanks for reading, this is my first foray into this pairing, so please let me know how I did! :D


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